Magic Johnson Discusses Sterling Saga

Silver, who became the league's commissioner Feb. 1, said the league will "force a sale" of the team -- a process that he said will start immediately. The owners have the authority subject to three-quarters vote of the ownership partners to remove him as an owner, Silver said.

Geffen's spokeswoman confirmed Winfrey, Geffen and Ellison would be interested if the franchise became available.

Sterling, who has owned the team since 1981, also faces a fine of $2.5 million, the maximum allowed under league rules. NBC News initially reported that the fine was to be $5 million, citing an NBA official. Silver issued the official announcement at a press conference to discuss the league's investigation of Sterling.

There's been much speculation about who the next owner could be.

NBA Hall of Fame player Magic Johnson, who said this week he was disappointed and hurt by the recording, has denied interest in bidding. Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya reportedly stated their interest, and USA Today reported buzz around the presence of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in Clippers territory.

Winfrey, for her part, knows how to run an empire. She came to Chicago in 1984 and "The Oprah Winfrey Show" became the No. 1 talk show in the market a year later. She filmed the show at Harpo Studios until 2011, when she ended the show to start her OWN cable network.

Her latest ventures include a book of columns due to be published this fall, a namesake Starbucks tea and self-help tour.